Paul Feig Calls Out Sony For Leaving Out 2016 ‘Ghostbusters’ From Box Set
In February 2022, Sony Pictures will release a Ghostbusters franchise box set on the same day that Ghostbusters: Afterlife gets its home release. The eight-disc Ghostbusters Ultimate Collection will 1984's Ghostbusters and 1989's Ghostbusters II, along with the 2021 film directed by Jason Reitman. But the box set will not include Paul Feig's 2016 female-fronted movie, which stars Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones.
Feig noticed the omission and took to Twitter to voice his frustration to Sony about not being included in the "ultimate" box set. The director pointed out that original franchise stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson appeared in the film, and that it received a Kids Choice Award. Despite the film's mixed reviews from critics, it still holds a 74 percent Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
"Um … @SonyPictures , I know this must be a mistake,” Feig wrote. “We do have a lot of fans and Bill, Dan and Ernie were in it and it won the Kids Choice Award for Best Feature Film the year it came out. So, I guess this was just an oversight?”
When Feig's Ghostbusters: Answer the Call was released, it became the subject of internet backlash from viewers who didn't enjoy the gender-swapped reboot of the classic franchise. The movie was supposed to launch a new Ghostbusters franchise with the female cast, but it failed to reach box office expectations, and was abandoned.
Still, the 2016 Ghostbusters movie was released, and it wasn't a total misfire as some haters would like everyone to believe. At the very least, it deserves a spot in the box set. The Ghostbusters Ultimate Collection hits shelves on February 1, 2022.